Metal stamping machine



Jan. 8, 1957' J. M. HENDRICKSON ,7

METAL STAMPING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1955 2 Shawn s-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Jib/5 Al. HHVDR/C/(SO/V J. M. HENDRICKSCN METAL STAMPING MACHINE Jan. 8, 1957 Filed April 6, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J5 INVENTOR.

' JAMES MMWDk/CKJOA/ United States Patent lVIETAL STAMPING MACHINE James M. Hendrickson, Kittanning, Pa, assignor to The Pannier Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 6, 1953, Serial No. 346,963

8 Claims. (Cl. 101-4) This invention relates generally to stamping machines, and more particularly to a machine for stamping progressively moving pieces of metal such as sheets, slabs, or blooms.

This metal stamping machine may be used for marking cold or hot ferrous or nonferrous metals that are progressively moved in units past the machine. The stamping may be printed with paint, ink, or an impression in the metal. Stamping on polished plates or the like should be printed with paint or ink that preserves the finish. The stamping of unfinished cold slabs or the like may be by either printing or by making an impression thereon. The former is preferable, as the metal, whether soft or hard, would require a considerable pressure blow to properly imprint the indicia in the metal surface.

In the case of hot billets and slabs or other forms of hot metal, having been worked, only a light pressure blow is necessary to put the impression in the metal whether it be ferrous or nonferrous. Sometimes it should be on the face of the article and sometimes. it should be on the side or on the end of the article. The side or end of a slab or bloom is frequently the most desirable place to form an impression in the hot metal. The stamping machine is positioned along a conveyor on which the articles travel. A trip mechanism is actuated by the movement of the article past the stamping station which initiates the mechanism to raise the stamp into operating position and move with the article while striking it.

When the stamp is arranged to strike the rear face of a forwardly moving article to be stamped, the stamping head is extended in line with the path of movement of the article and is then moved forward at a faster rate of speed than the movement of the article so that the head catches up and strikes the forwardly moving article on its rear side. The stamp head is then retracted from the line of movement at the same time that it is drawn back to its original position, thus following a diagonal path, although the initial movement of the stamp head is to first place it in the line of travel of the article before it moves forward to strike the article.

A diiferent character of movement may be made by the stamping head when marking the side on the top of the article. The head is first moved in synchronism with the moving article and then the stamping head is brought over into the path of movement of the article and strikes the same. As the stamp head is withdrawn, it may again be retracted from the vicinity of the path of movement of the article simultaneously with the return of the head to its original position along a diagonal path.

The stamping machine may be controlled by diflferent instrumentalities such as mechanically operated flag switches engaged by the moving articles to be stamped or by photoelectric circuits which operate with a fixed source of light interrupted by the article or by the glow from the hot metal itself. The latter form of control 2,776,617 Patented Jan. 55, 1&5?

is very reliable. The hot metal article control is employed herein to illustrate the principles of this invention.

The stamping head may be provided with fixed indicia, or it may have a counter on which consecutive numbers may be caused to occur for stamping consecutive pieces passing along in production.

The operation of the device may be by spring or electric servomotors, but the fluid operated servomotors are advantageous, and particularly the pneumatically operated servomotors, as they provide sufficient pressure to strike and properly impress the indicia on the metal but are insufficient to cause the stamp head or arm to be broken. The operating air acts as a cushion transmitted through the arm and stamphead. The pneumatic actuation is quick in response to the controls and has a wide operating range. It also lends itself to a reversing control in this disclosure.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawing shows, for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto certain practical embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing the structure in combination with the circuit for controlling the same.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure positioned beside the articles to be stamped and showing the article just passing beyond the stamping machine which is about to be actuated.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the arms swung into position in line and trailing the article.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the stamp striking the article to impress the indicia on the same.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the arm being retracted to the position as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the stamping machine is mounted on a base or in the casing 1 which is positioned alongside the conveyor 2 on which the articles 3 are moved in the direction indicated by the arrows. In the exemplification illustrated, the articles are assumed to be sutficiently hot to give off a glow for the purpose of initiating the operating of the stamping machine. The articles may not be sufficiently hot to flow or get out of shape, but they are relatively soft, and when struck with a stamp, will retain the indicia impressed thereon.

As the articles move along the conveyor their stamping is controlled electronically, the glow from their heat is directed against the light responsive means or the shielded photoelectric mechanism, as indicated at 4. When the glowing article just passes beyond the range of the light responsive means, an impulse is given. This impulse is received by the amplifying means 5 which energizes the relay 6 to close a circuit from the heel 7 to the front contact 8, from whence the current will flow from the source of supply 10, through the line 11, the heel 7, and the front contact 8, line 12., to the relay A, and from the other side of the relay to the ground return as indicated in 13. This energizes the relay A and closes the contact heel 14 to the front contact 15 that is connected to the line 16 to the heel 17 to relay B and also closes heel 20 to front contact 21. Since relay B is not as yet energized, no current passes through this circuit.

However, current does flow from the source it) through the line 11 to the switches 27 and 39. With the switch 2'7 connected to contact 26, the current flows from the line 11, the switch 27, line 25, back contact 24 of the pneumatic pressure responsive switch C, heel 23, line 22, front contact 21, and the now energized relay A through heel 20, line 12, to relay A. This is a stick circuit to maintain relay A energized, and it can only be deenergized ice by the opening of the pneumatic switch C or limit switch 27.

if switch 23 is closed to contact 30 as shown, current also flows through the line 11, the limit switch 28, to the point 33*, the line 31 which energizes the coil 32 in the servomotor 33 to exhaust the left end of the cylinder 35 through the pipe line 34.

Relay A is actuated from an impulse of relay 6 and when relay 6 again drops, relay A has sufiicient time to close its stick contact 21, Relay B becomes energized through the line 36 and ground return 13 when relay 6 deenergizes. This picks up and closes the front contact 18 and permits the current to be supplied through the line 37 to the operating coil 38 of the cylinder 49, causing its piston 41 to move outwardly, the piston 42 being pi"- otally connected to the arm 42 which is on the end of the sleeve 43 that holds the non-round rod 44.

When the piston 41 is moved forwardly out of the cylinder 40, the rod 44 is caused to be rotated swinging the arm 45 into the path of the articles after the impulse relay 6 drops out and thus energizes relay B. Relay B becomes energized through source of supply 10, the line 11, to the heel of the switch 27, to the contact 26, through the line 25, and back contact 24 and heel 23, to line 22, to the front contact 21, and heel contact 26, through line 12, from whence it continues to supply the needed current to maintain relay A energized and at the same time supply a current through the heel Contact 14, the front contact 15, line 16, the heel contact 17 of relay B and the front contact 18, line 37 to energize the coil 38, and it returns through ground. This causes the piston 41 to move forwardly and move the arm in the position as shown in Fig. 3 with the arm extended in the position to where the stamp is immediately to the rear of the article and the article is continuing to move. When the piston 4-1 rotates the rod 44 and completes its stroke, it strikes the limit switch 47, thus conducting current through the line 37 to the line 48 which supplies current to the coil 50 that energizes the cylinder 35 causing the rod 44 to be moved to the left. The cnergization of the rod moves sufficiently fast to catch up to the article and smack the stamp 26 against the rear face thereof as illustrated in Fig. 4.

When the stamp engages the article, it induces sufficient resistance to movement causing the air to momentarily build up in the rear of the cylinder 35 and also in the pipe line 51 so as to actuate the fluid pressure responsive device C owing to this excessive pressure. The actuation of C opens the back contact 24 and closes the front contact 52 which allows current to travel from the source through line 11 and the front contact 52, the heel 53, the line 54 from whence it energizes the coil 55 at the right end of the cylinder 35 to release the air therein and close off the operating air. Line also energizes the coil 56 to apply air at the opposite end of the cylinder 35 to retract the rod 44, and at the same time to energize the coil 57 to energize the cylinder 40 and return it.

As the rod 44 is being retracted from the vicinity of the article, it is not only being drawn backwardly into the cylinder 35, but the arm is also being rotated to a position out of the path of the movement of the articles. The arm simultaneously swings back out of the road, and at the same time it is being withdrawn as illustrated in Pig. 5, thus retracting along a diagonal path. When the arm has completed its return stroke and the limit switch 27 is swung in the oppositc direction, current is supplied from the line 11 through the switch 27 to the line 54 to insure the completion of the return stroke of the piston 41. The arm 45 is pivotally connected to the rod 44- as indicated at 49in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 to permit the arm to swing forwardly if an arm catches up and strikes the back thereof.

When the pressure responsive device C opens its contact 24, relay A is deenergized, which in turn deenergizes the line 37.

If the rod 44 does not move to the full extent of its travel because the stamp strikes the article before the rod has an opportunity to move through its full stroke, then the switch actuating mechanism 60, attached to the rod 4-4, will not strike the limit switch 27, and the latter remains in the position as indicated in Fig. 1. If, how ever, the pressure does not build up sufficiently to interrupt the movement of the rod 44, the switch actuating mechanism 60 will strike the switch 27 and move the same from contact 25 to contact 61 at which time energy will be supplied from the source 10, through the line 1.1, and the switch 27, to the line 54, where it energizes the coils 57 and 56 to return both scrvomotors 33 and 40 simultaneously. As the rod 44 is moved to the right in retracting the arm 45', the member 66 strikes the switch 23 causing the same to close its contact 23 and energize the coil 32 which exhausts the air from the left end of the cylinder 35.

As shown in Fig. l, the pneumatic supply is indicated at 52 wherein the air is admitted to the solenoid control valves 63 and 64 which are operated by the coils 50, 55, 32, and 56 respectively. The coils 50 and 56 being employed to energize the respective ends of the cylinder 35, whereas the coils 55 and 32 exhaust the air to the respective ends of the cylinder. The air likewise travels from the source 62 to the valve 65 for operating the piston 41 in cylinder 40.

I claim:

1. A machine for marking articles as they proceed along a course of travel which comprises a straight operating rod, an arm carrying a stamp mounted on said rod and extending transversely thereof, said operating rod supporting said arm in a retracted position and mounted to move parallel with said course of travel, servomotor means actuated by the passing of the article to initiate and carry out the cycle of swinging said arm by rotating said rod and advancing said arm by advancing said rod with the article and to strike the article with the stamp and then withdraw the arm to its retracted position, said servomotor means includes a photoelectric circuit having connected relays which when energized actuate one double acting pneumatic cylinder to swing said arm and another to move it parallel with the movement of the article.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said circuit includes a pickup and holding relay to initiate the cycle of operation of said arm and limit switch means to complete the cycle of operation in returning said arm to its retracted position.

3. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that said circuit also includes pressure responsive means actuated by the building up of pressure in said other double acting cylinder by reason of said stamp striking an article which pressure responsive means initiates a circuit to complete the cycle of operation in returning said arm to its retracted position before said limit switch means is reached.

4. A machine for marking articles as they proceed along a course of travel, which comprises a base, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said base with its axis parallel with the travel of the articles, a rod having slidable but not rotary movement through said sleeve, an arm carrying a stamp and supported transversely in a retracted position on said rod for placing the stamp in position to strike the articles when said sleeve is rotated, and servo means to oscillate said sleeve and move said stamp into and out of the article engaging position and to reciprocate said rod in said sleeve to engage and retract said arm relative to the article.

5. The structure of claim 4 characterized in that said servo means comprises two fluid actuated cylinders one to oscillate said sleeve and one to reciprocate said rod.

6. The structure of claim 4 which also includes electronic means to initiate and carry out the cycle of I'O tating said sleeve to swing the arm and place said stamp in article engaging position and to advance said rod to References Cited in the file of this patent back the arm to its retracted postion by retracting the rod. 10 2,684,027

UNITED STATES PATENTS Beutel et al. Feb. 28, 1933 Beckett et al Feb. 26, 1952 Turner et al. June 16, 1953 Roys Q June 23, 1953 Steckling June 23, 1953 Muller July 28, 1953 Kirchner July 20, 1954 

